State approves 2 new health centers in Dooars tea belt at cost of Rs 40L each
Jalpaiguri: The state government has approved the construction of two new health centres in the tea belt of Dooars, with the Health department allocating Rs 40 lakh for each centre. These facilities aim to improve healthcare services in the region, specifically for tea garden workers and their families. The centres will be built in the New Glencoe Tea Garden of Malbazar Block in Jalpaiguri district and the Turturi Tea Garden in Alipurduar district.
The demand for a central hospital catering to the tea garden areas of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts has been a longstanding issue, dating back to the Left Front regime.
A central hospital, modeled after the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) system, could provide advanced medical care to the residents of the tea belt.
Previous efforts to establish such a hospital in areas like Hasimara or Birpara fell through, leaving a significant gap in healthcare infrastructure.
Mahua Gope, a member of the state’s Tea Advisory Council, emphasised the importance of these new health centres. She noted that the facilities in Malbazar and Turturi would directly benefit tea garden workers, including those in Kumargram and Alipurduar-II blocks. She added that additional proposals would be made to expand healthcare infrastructure in other tea gardens across Dooars in future council meetings.
Jalpaiguri’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr Ashim Haldar, expressed optimism about the initiative, stating that the health centre in New Glencoe Tea Garden would provide much-needed medical services to workers in the area.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state government appears to be using this healthcare initiative to strengthen its political foothold in the tea-dominated regions.
While TMC faced defeats in the last Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in these areas, its recent victories, such as reclaiming the Dhupguri and Madarihat seats, indicate a shift in voter sentiment.
To maintain momentum, the Tea Advisory Council plans to propose five additional health centres in Kalchini, Madarihat, Meteli, Nagrakata and Banarhat.
